Just took my Sportsman 155 in for work because I was having carb problem and couldn't get it running. My mechanic just drained several gallons of water out of my fuel tank!?!?!?! Here's my question. How did the water get into the tank? I have noticed that the gas tank access panel in the bow is held into place with a gasket and a number of screws but is also below the forward deck level. Could that be leaking? How is that access panel installed? Do I dare try to remove the rusted screws and replace the gasket? How is that assemblage built? Does anyone have a diagram on how the gas tank constructed? Ideas? Problems? Watch out out fors? Etc. Etc. Etc. ?????

FWIW.....just finished refurbishing, cleaning & polishing the fuel tank cover plate, sending unit w/cover plate and all gaskets, SS screws, fiber and SS washers, cleaned and sealed all electrical connectors. I was a little leery that the screws for the cover plate just went into the top of the fiberglass fuel tank. Not sure how other 1970 Evinrude 155 Sportsman's are built however on mine there is a metal ring screw plate on the inside of the tank that sandwiches the fiberglass tank between the upper and lower plates. The top of the screws were stained and rusty looking but came right out without any issue.

WHAT A FRIGGEN MESS!! The old gasket quite literally fell apart. Absolutely disintegrated as I removed the plate. Obviously this thing was more like a sieve than a gasket. Geee I wonder how the water got in?!?!? BY THE GALLON!!THE BEFORE: I kept my ship vac handy and tried to suck up all the detritus, bits of fragmenting gasket, grit, sand and whatever as I removed the cover plate. I cleaned and very lightly wire brushed the fiberglass tank top to prep it for a solid coating of Permatex gasket sealer. Totally cleaned, wire brushed and polished the upper fuel plate....very pretty! THE AFTER: So everything is now spic and span, shipshape and Bristol fashion. Man was that ugly. On top of that, I've ordered a new Flush Mount Stainless Steel Fuel Vent and inline Lifeguard LG50 Fuel/Air Separator. That should keep fuel from spilling during refueling and keep water our of the fuel vent....hopefully. I think I now have everything covered. Knock on wood